Posted on 05/25/2015 5:41:44 PM PDT by grumpa
Extent of the Biblical Last Days
By Charles S. Meek
Amillennialists often understand that the biblical Last Days began in the first century, but are under the impression that the Last Days extend to the present time. Here’s why that cannot be correct.
There are at least fourteen specific mentions of the Last Days or “End Times” in the New Testament: Matthew 24:14; Acts 2:14-20; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1-5; Hebrews 1:2; 9:26; James 5:3-9; 1 Peter 1:5; 1:20; 4:7; 2 Peter 3:3; 1 John 2:17-18; Jude 18.
The culmination of none of these can be placed outside of the first century. But five of these twelve are specific about their culmination:
In Matthew 24:14 Jesus said that the “end” would come after the gospel had been preached to the whole world. Then in verse 34 He unambiguously said that ALL of his prophecies would take place during his generation. Interestingly, Paul in numerous places confirmed that the gospel had indeed been preached to the whole world as he was writing (Romans 1:8; 16:26; Colossians 1:6; 23).
Paul declared that the “end of the ages” had come upon those living in the first century (1 Corinthians 10:11).
The writer of Hebrews said that he and his contemporaries were living at the “end of the ages.” (Hebrews 9:26)
Peter declared that “the end of all things was at hand.” (1 Peter 4:7; cf. 4:17)
John insisted that it was the “last hour” as he was writing. (1 John 2:17-18)
In fact, there are over 100 confirming passages in the New Testament that demand that the culmination of the last days events would happen while some of the contemporaries of Jesus were still alive. The writers of the New Testament spoke with one consistent voice on this. Further, there is no sense—NONE—in which these events were fulfilled in the past and will be fulfilled again in the future.
I have heard Christians embarrass themselves going through contortions trying to get around it. But the bottom line is this: Either Jesus and the writers of the New Testament were false prophets, or these things happened as and when they expected.
If we are still in the last days, the extent of the last days is longer than the period to which they are an end. This makes no sense. Be a Berean Christian and study the Scriptures to see if this is so.
Take the time to look up all of the passages I list above. Then, for more detail, see my several articles about this here:
http://prophecyquestions.com/2014/02/01/articles-by-charles-meek
bkmk
Grumpa has this right. For those of you who say we are living in the last days now, I would like to show you some facts which Gary DeMar notes in his book “Last Days madness,”
“As the last day of 999 approached, “the old basilica of St. Peter’s at Rome was thronged with a mass of weeping and trembling worshipers awaiting the end of the world,” believing that they were on the eve of the Millennium. Land, homes, and household goods were given to the poor as a final act of contrition to absolve the hopeless from sins of a lifetime. Some Europeans sold their goods before traveling to Palestine to await the Second Coming. This mistaken application of biblical prophecy happened again in 1100, 1200, and 1245. Prophetic speculation continued. “In 1531, Melchior Hofmann announced that the second coming would take place in the year 1533…. Nicholas Cusa held that the world would not last past 1734.”
This has been followed for centuries by Modern day false prophets, such as the following, Hal Lindsey, Grant Jeffries, Edgar C. Whisenant’s 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Is in 1988, etc. The next to fall is John Hagee with his predictions concerning the “Blood Moons.”
Please consider this! These guys have been saying we are about to see the end of the world for over a thousand years!!
Some of it anyway. Most errors are from those who do the interpretations and try to stay withing their own pre-determined meme so as to not upset their own religion's apple cart.
So—I’m guessing that words don’t actually mean things to Preterists?
Nero was the Beast of Revelation. “The Beast” was his nickname back then because of his reputation for cruelty.
But more interesting is the fact that 666 (the number of the beast) is a popular form of encrypting someone’s name in that time period in Rome. Each letter of the Greek alphabet was assigned a number. You add up all the numbers for each letter and the result can be used to verify a name. It’s impossible to reliably reverse this cypher so it is a good way of keeping the actual name secret. They have unearthed ruins from ancient Roman cities where people have written graffiti “I love 483” and such.
Nero’s name was Neron Ceasar and it is encrypted “666” in Greek. Hebrew had a similar from of popular encryption. Nero’s name was Neron Kaiser in Hebrew and the Hebrew New Testament says the number of the beast is 616.
Oh, did Nero cause everyone to have a mark on their hand or forehead? Must have missed that.
Ping
Interpret the Bible with the Bible. What’s literal and what’s figurative in Scripture is easy to understand if the Bible is the standard and not our own modern ideas.
The “mark” on the forehead is referenced in the Old Testament. Back then Jerusalem was about to be destroyed and Ezekiel 9:3-6 speaks of an angel placing a mark on the forehead of those who lament the wickedness of the city. The context was not that a physical mark would be placed on them but this was a way to illustrate that when the city was destroyed some would be preserved as a remnant.
1st century Christians would have recognized this reference to a “mark” and would have understood the meaning in reference to a remnant who would be preserved.
The mark of the beast is to identify those who belong to the Antichrist. Those without the mark will not be able to buy or sell. The plain language of the Bible, indicating an event WHICH HAS NOT YET TAKEN PLACE.
You mean the Gary Demar that promotes Dominionism? That Gary Demar? The Gary DeMar that thinks Christ won't return until Christians take dominion of all the world governments? You mean the Gary DeMar that followed Rousas John Rushdoony and wants to abolish democracy and establish a Christian theocracy with stonings and all the Old Testament laws? That Gary DeMar? The Gary DeMar that belongs to the group who thinks by force Christians should make the laws of ancient Israel the law of the land in the US? That Gary DeMar?
NO THANKS.
Do some study on Rausas John Rushdoony who these guys all follow and understand his teaching on Dominionism and having to establish a theocracy world wide with all the laws of Old Testament Israel in place before Christ can return to see how off the wall and anti scripture they really are.
Nope...The prophecy is to those who see those signs taking place...And they didn't take place during the conversation...Even now, those signs have yet to take place...
Paul declared that the “end of the ages” had come upon those living in the first century (1 Corinthians 10:11).
NOPE...
1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
What things happened and to whom??? The trial and tribulation that befell Israel in the O.T.
The second part of the verse refers to whom the ensamples are for, not when they will take place...They are for our admonition...Who is OUR??? The CHURCH which so far has spanned 2000 years in history...
If they are not for our admonition, we may as well burn all the bibles...
The writer of Hebrews said that he and his contemporaries were living at the “end of the ages.” (Hebrews 9:26)
It well could have been, but it wasn't...
When Steven was murdered, Jesus stood up...That's pretty significant...
John insisted that it was the “last hour” as he was writing. (1 John 2:17-18)
1Jn 2:17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
1Jn 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
A little problem here...What are we standing on if the world passed away???
Just going from memory here, but I believe Rusdooney would hold to sola scriptura
And I will venture a guess that he claims that he is led by the Holy Spirit.
should be “was led” as he reposed in 2001.
I don’t know about all that don-o. I would hope your not trying to attribute the faults of one to a whole group are you? You do realize that all non Catholics are not the same. Or would you want us to assume that all Catholics agree with pope Francis and the Bishops who want gay marriage? Is that what your after here? I’m just trying to get where you are coming from don-o.
Romans 8:36 “For Your sake we are killed all day long;
We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”[c]
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Merely stating the basis of Rushdooney’s beliefs. They are quite familiar, aren’t they?
You choose not to engage that but resort to pointing over to those squirrels over there. Irrelevant to what I posted.
Sure you were "merely stating the basis of Rusdooney's beliefs". I'm sure we all believe that. Seriously don-o, let's not play those games.
I believe you are intelligent enough to realize that Satan works in many ways to keep people from the truth of Scripture. Whether they claim "Sola Scriptura" or additional writings he steers people off track in a multitude of ways. We learn from scripture that Satan has caused many to be blinded to the truth no matter what source they use. So unless you want us to believe that all Catholics believe as the current pope and those priests and bishops who hold to error let's not go down any "all in one basket" type approach because we could very easily repeat the Catholic Catechism of the demand to "submit intellect and will".
“The Devil made him do it.” Is that it?
All righty then.
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